Points leader Regan Smith wins Nationwide race at MIS

Driver Regan Smith (7) and Austin Dillon (3) lead during a restart in the NASCAR Nationwide series Alliance Truck Parts 250 auto race at Michigan International Speedway, Saturday, June 15, 2013 in Brooklyn, Mich. Smith won the race holding off Kyle Larson in the final 10 laps. It was Smith's second win of the year and 11th top-10 finish in 13 starts. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won again at Michigan International Speedway.

Only this time, he wasn’t in the race car.

Regan Smith, driving the Earnhardt-owned No. 7 Chevrolet, took advantage of Parker Kligerman’s gamble on fuel, and then held off Kyle Larson to win the Alliance Truck Parts 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday.

Smith, the series points leader, who had not led a lap in his four previous races, started 20th and drove through the field.

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“We worked hard on this car all weekend,” Smith said. “I’ll be honest, after qualifying I was worried.”

After climbing out of his Camaro, Smith tapped a sticker on the car honoring Jason Leffler, a former NASCAR driver who died in a sprint car racing accident earlier in the week.

“All our hearts are with the Leffler family right now,” Smith said. “He’s in a better place, smiling down on all of us.”

Kligerman held the lead, but the No. 77 Toyota had to pit for fuel late in the race.

He didn’t pit earlier during a caution as his team gambled that rain would shorten the race with Kligerman in the lead. Kligerman finished 25th. Rain fell soon after the 125-lap race was complete.

Earnhardt Jr. won the Sprint Cup race at MIS last June, his second victory at the track since 2008. He races in the Quicken Loans 400 on Sunday.

Larson, driving the No. 32 Chevrolet, is leading the Nationwide Series rookie of the year standings.

“I could inch to him (Smith), then I’d get too tight off Turn 2,” Larson said. “It was a pretty emotional second place for our whole team. Leffler was a friend.”

NOTES: Ford is encouraging cooperation between its Sprint Cup teams from Penske Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports, Richard Petty said. “We’ve all got to be on the same page,” Petty said. “It might take a little while to get it done like Ford wants it done. Each one of the teams is going to have to say, ‘We’ll throw in something and get something back.’” … Kurt Busch turned a lap of 197.368 mph in his Chevrolet, the fastest in the final practice for the Sprint Cup Quicken Loans 400 that will be Sunday at MIS. Pole-sitter Carl Edwards was fifth on the speed chart at 195.721 in a Ford. … Edwards’ pole is his first in 18 races at MIS. He made his Sprint Cup debut at the track in August 2004. … AJ Allmendinger drove IndyCars in the Indianapolis 500 and the Detroit Grand Prix. He is in a Sprint Cup car this weekend. “First, (changing series) was kind of fun; now it’s just kind of wearing on me a little bit, honestly,” Allmendinger, who’s driving the No. 47 Toyota at MIS, said. “I’m just trying my best.” … A trust fund has been established for Charlie Dean Leffler, 5, surviving son of race car driver Jason Leffler, who was killed in a racing accident Wednesday. Donations can be made to The Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust, c/o SunTrust Bank, 232 Williamson Road, Mooresville, NC 28117.